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Bitch Music

Violin-playing performance artist shares her New Year’s Eve with Albuquerque

Bitch is a multi-instrumentalist—electric violin, ukulele, bass, keyboard—and solo performance artist. The one-woman band was once upon a time half of Righteous Babe Records alumnus Bitch and Animal. On her own, the exuberant, Technicolor, gender nonconformist singer released her first solo album on Kill Rock Stars and now runs her own label, Short Story Records. Trained as an actor as well, she starred in acclaimed feature film Shortbus by John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch). Her music has appeared on “The L Word,” and she’s worked with the likes of JD Samson, Ani DiFranco and the Indigo Girls.

This year the illustrious Bitch will be spending her New Year’s Eve performing in Albuquerque at Evolution Nightclub. The event is a benefit for a scholarship fund created by UNM’s one-year-old community support and advocacy organization, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Resource Center.

Via email, we asked Bitch to enlighten us about Bitch.

What was it like when you were growing up?

I'm first-generation American. My parents came here on a boat from England right after they married in 1965. It was a combination of glorious possibility and devastating loneliness, living in a landless, rootless reality.

My former bandmate (Animal) and I decided to name ourselves archetypes that we both feel are totally negatively portrayed in our crazy society that gives women very limited roles in how they can express themselves.

What are your feelings on the term “queercore”?

It sounds super juicy and lezzy delicious.

How does your background in acting coalesce with your music?

My live show is very theatrical—my theater background all culminates in my ongoing performance of "Bitch."

What kind of writing do you do?

I am a poet and all my songs come from my poet-ness.

What's your favorite form of artistic expression?

Singing! Playing my violin is almost the same thing, and as close to my singing, but if I have to pick, I enjoy singing so much.

What do you want people to know?

That the show I'm bringing to Albuquerque for New Year's Eve will blow peoples' minds.